Toolbox generated fasteners 1

[cmm]

Sometimes when I open assemblies that contain Toolbox-generated fasteners these fasteners explode in size for no apparent reason. I am using the latest version of everything. Is anyone else having this problem?

 

[Yogibear]

This has happened to me before. I created an assembly with toolbox parts in it just like you did. Someone else opened it and then asked me what was going on because it had exploded similiar to what you saw. The problem was that toolbox saved the components on my hard-drive. The model was on our network. When he opened up the model it couldn't find the toolbox parts I had told it to use. I saved the toolbox parts to the network where the model was and it seemed to work fine. So that would be the first thing I would check. Hope that helps.

 

[alecu]

First, I think it’s a good idea that all users in your network to use same toolbox. There is a configuration file called toolbox.ini located in ...\SolidWorks\Toolbox. In this file you will find a line like

ToolboxPartFolder=C:\Toolbox Parts

that tells SWX where to look after toolbox parts! Type the new path (same for all users) to point to a toolbox folder that is shared in network. You may comment that line using “;” and write a new line similar with new path. Toolbox is a “configuration base” dBase. To generate a “family” of parts it adds to a single part multiple configurations (see also table driven parts!) every time when you access toolbox. Now, let’s suppose you try to open an assy made be somebody else that use a different toolbox. Your assembly will still find toolbox parts but in your “toolbox parts” folder. If this files have no configuration names like the originals – a default or “last configuration file” will be use instead. As a result, you may see same parts with unexpected sizes.

 

[McDesign25]

Another option is to save as and rename the fastener, with the assembly open, and place the newly named part from the toolbox and place it in your assembly folder, so it never looks at the C: or Network drive. The problem you are having has two roots, wrong configuration or wrong directory, i.e. cannot find part. I found it is nice to keep all the required parts in the same folder, which makes life a lot easier.

I had the same thing you mentioned happen to me at a design review, because I was using a different computer, and it took me a while to explain to everyone why my 1/4-20 SHCS was really 4X too big, not to mention embarrassing.